Kartel back in court March 14

BY TANESHA MUNDLE Observer staff reporter mundlet@jamaicaobserver.com

Thursday, February 16, 2012

THE marijuana trial of popular dancehall deejay Vybz Kartel was on Monday postponed in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's (RM) Court until March 14 and the artiste was offered $40,000 bail.

The postponement was granted by Magistrate Maxine Ellis after the defence told the court that it was not ready to proceed with the marijuana (ganja) possession trial.

The 36-year-old artiste was offered bail on conditions that he surrenders his travel documents, with a stop order at the ports of entry, following an application by attorney Chris Tavares-Finson.

But Kartel, whose real name is Adidjah Palmer, was remanded into custody as he is yet to obtain bail in relation to the August 16 murder of Clive 'Lizard' Williams.

Kartel and his co-accused Andre St John, and Kahira Jones, Shawn 'Shawn Storm' Campbell, Calvin Hay, and Shane Williams are scheduled to return to the Home Circuit Court on February 17 for another mention date in the Williams case.

The artiste was arrested last September during a police raid at a hotel in New Kingston where a small quantity of marijuana was reportedly found in a room occupied by him and others. They had gone in search of the artiste in relation to the murder of Gregory Park, St Catherine, resident Barrington 'Bossie' Bryan.

Kartel was offered $3-million bail in the Barrington murder and will, along with Nigel Thompson and Lenburgh McDonald, return to the Gun Court division of the Corporate Area RM Court on February 28 on that matter.

The artiste — along with Portmore Empire artiste Vanessa 'Gaza Slim' Saddler and Andre 'Pim Pim' Henry — will also be tried on charges of conspiracy and attempting to pervert the course of justice in the RM court on May 8.

The charges stem from allegations that the three took steps to mislead detectives in the investigation into Williams' murder.